EB: Play Haze for a week, then get your money back

[Shrygue]

via Joystiq (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/eb-play-haze-for-a-week-then-get-your-money-back/)


In what's bound to be one of the most bizarre trade-in deals ever, EB Games in Canada is offering a unique deal for customers who pre-order the PS3 FPS Haze: they can return it a week later for a full refund.

The deal, as seen on their website, states that customers who pre-order the Ubisoft game will be able to pick it up on the release date and play it for a full week, then be able to sell the used game back to EB for full retail price. The deal only applies if the game, case and manual are kept in good condition, and if the game is returned within a week of purchase.

If we were Sony or Ubisoft, we would be less than thrilled with this promotion, which seems to suggest that Haze is only worth a week's investment of time. Then again, a sale is a sale, and maybe more Canadians will be tempted to purchase the title, if they know ahead of time that they don't have to keep it.

[F9zDark]

I think its more a "warranty" than anything else. People who don't like it will simply return it. People who do like it will keep playing and never return it. It doesn't benefit them any really, as people who return it will simply take their cash and buy something else.

Sure it earns them money selling another product, but giving back the full retail value of the game, doesn't earn them squat extra.

[Triv1um]

I think they think it will be really good, so more people buy it (the people who are waiting for it, and the people that think they will hate it), so the haters like it and wont take back. Therefore more sales.

Could work, or backfire badly.

[Shrygue]

...or it could be abused somewhat by getting the game, completing it within a week and then bringing it back to the store - muck like renting it but getting a full refund afterwards.

[acn010]

...or it could be abused somewhat by getting the game, completing it within a week and then bringing it back to the store - muck like renting it but getting a full refund afterwards.

exactly... a challenge you might say...

[DPyro]

Lawl. (http://ebgames.ca/graphics/pdf/haze_promo.pdf) It's for in-store credit only. They won't actually give you your money back.

[Shrygue]

So the refund is actually store credit at pre-tax level? Shame, I'd much rather have my money back in cold, hard cash and in full.

[F9zDark]

Store credit, thats ridiculous. Its no different than a trade in really. I know EB/Gamestop will give you cash for trade ins, AFTER they take 20% for themselves. Kinda bullshit if you ask me. The whole return policy on software is bullshit, as it allows these companies to do this in the first place.

[jamotto]

Is not a bad deal at all if you buy from EB a lot.